CVE-2025-22480

Privilege elevation via symbolic-link file deletion

Published Feb 13, 2025 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Symbolic link handling in Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery before 5.5.13.1 allows local users to delete arbitrary files and elevate privileges. Dell has not disclosed the affected file-handling locus or the operation that follows attacker-controlled links. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and high-complexity conditions, and successful abuse can remove protected files or gain higher privileges.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symbolic link handling in Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery before 5.5.13.1 allows local users to delete arbitrary files and elevate privileges. Dell has not disclosed the affected file-handling locus or the operation that follows attacker-controlled links. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and high-complexity conditions, and successful abuse can remove protected files or gain higher privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-22480
Published
Feb 13, 2025
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Dell
Product
Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery
Classifications
CWE-59, CWE-61, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 13, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=N/A <5.5.13.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell · Dell SupportAssist OS Recoveryversion=N/A <5.5.13.1

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0DellCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-61UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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